Yellow ribbons call for solidarity

The campus group Grand Old Cause participated in National Support Our Troops Day Wednesday, along with more than 30 other colleges and universities nationwide, by handing out yellow ribbons to students in front of Ballantine Hall. The ribbons represented support and solidarity for U.S. troops in Iraq. \nGOC member freshman Brent Smith said he started handing out ribbons at 10 a.m. Within one hour, the supply of ribbons was gone, and other members of GOC were alerted to create more.\n"We want to let our troops, both at home and defending our freedoms abroad, know that their college campuses are behind them," Rich Moha, national operations director for the Campus Leadership Program said.\nSmith joined the GOC two weeks ago because he wanted to get involved in a political group on campus. He said he believes if the troops do not feel they have Americans' support, it will hurt their morale.\nThe GOC also passed out flyers asking students to remember the soldiers and collected signatures for a national letter of thanks to be sent to all branches of the armed forces. \nIU's College Republicans also helped with the event.\nGOC president Karl Born founded the group last spring to be a conservative activist group on campus that recruits conservative students and helps them with political training. Born said the GOC is just beginning to become active about the war because it was launched during spring break.\n"We haven't had much of a chance to say anything about the war," he said, "but we will."\nBorn and Smith agree that for the most part, students received the ribbons enthusiastically.\n"Most people have been very positive," Smith said. "There have been some declines, but no one has been inflammatory in any way."\nGOC member Chase Downham said one student refused a ribbon -- the student said he doesn't want to support the troops because he doesn't support the war. \nDownham disagreed with the student's reasoning.\n"Our troops need our support whether you are for or against the war," he said. "We all agree that we want the war to end and have our troops come home as soon as possible."\nFreshman Mike Schott, who opposes the war in Iraq, said he would not accept a ribbon because he doesn't feel U.S. troops are victims.\n"It's a nice cause," Schott said, "but ribbons are for victims, and U.S. troops are just doing their jobs."\nBorn said while he disagrees with protesters, he agrees with their right to protest.\nNational Support Our Troops Day was organized by the Campus Leadership Program.\nTo get involved with the GOC, contact the group at goc@indiana.edu.